Clothes-rack for sleeping-cars.



F. W. WALLACE CLOTHES RACK FOR SLEEPING CARS.

APPLICATION FILED 00120, 1913.

1,1 1 1, 1 99. Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P 5 j 7 f 50 a f y 1 a 6 Z? v .5 t "L32 THE ADRRIS PETERS 00., PHOTO-LITHQ, WASH 'NGION, D. *c.

P. W. WALLACE. CLOTHES RACK FOR SLEEPING CARS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20, 1913. 1, 1 1 1, 1 99, Patented Sept. 22, 1914 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

gmbewtoz THE NORRJS PETERS (20.. PHcTo-LITHQ, WA .HINVTTON n n "UNITED; STATES PATENT oFFIcE. I

FRANK W, WALLACE, GHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE;

Gnomes-RACK FOR SLEEPING-CABS.

Specification Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 22, 1914,,

Application filed October 20,1913. Serial No. 796,263.

a L, it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention relates to furniture, and

more especially to hat and coat racks; and the object of the same is to. produce a folding shelf for clothing, capable of being pivotally attached to the partition-between two berths in a sleeping carand to take the place v constructionhereinafter morefully de .scribed and claimed, and asshownin the of the hammock now ordinarily slung within each berth and in which the passenger is supposed to store his c1otl1 es while at rest.

The invention consists in the details of drawings wherein Figure 1 is a sectionthrough a berth equipped with one formof this improved Fig. 2.

clothes rack,the latter being shown in edge view; and Fig. 2 is a similar viewwith the clothesjr ack' shownlin] plan. Fig. 3 is enlarged cross sectionvon" the line 3 -3 of Fig. 4 is a1vertical 'sectionalview w through the hinges showing the shelf as pendent, Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective details of the parts of this hinge. ,Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through a modiv fied form of this clothes track, and Figs. 8. i and 9 are perspective details of parts thereof.

In the accompanyingdrawings, the letter P designates a partition such as is usually put up between two berths in a sleeping car when the beds are made, and the letter S designates a socket member herein consist ing of a piece of strap metal bent into about the shape shown so as to receive the tongue T of my attachment. Bythis means or by any other suitable and equivalent means the attachment may be detachably connected with the partition, so that it maybe removed from the same when the partition is taken down.

In the preferred form of my invention, the tongue T is stamped from sheet metal and bent downward from the upper edge of a U-shaped body or bracket 1 whose side arms are slotted longitudinally as at 2,

' are indented in their J upper edges as at 3, and have hooks 4: at their outer ends. Between the side armsfits a block 5 hav- 111g pins 6 at its sides which are slidably mounted insaid slots 2 and a cross bar 7 at its top adapted to rest in said notches 3 when the block stands in alinement with the bracket, or to pass out of these notches and down the front ends of the side arms and rest within the hooks 4 when the block stands upright as described below. Secured to the outer end ofthis block in anysuitable manner is the shelf 10 which is preferably made in the form of arectangul'ar frame 11 having cross bars or rods 12, one end of the frame carrying a rigidshank 13 which may be screwed into the block as" indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 or otherwise. connected therewith, and the inner bar of the frame 11 carries a hookl, or in Fig. ithis hook .14 is shown as rising from the block itself.

The purpose of the hook is to. receive an eye 15 secured to the inner end of a holder 16. This also is by preference substantially rectangular in contour, although. it is'somewhat smaller than the shelf 10, and its frame .or side bars17 are connected by cross rods 18 as shown, while the outer ends thereof are turned downward into feet 19 adapted to pass through the shelf 10 and to prevent the lateral dislocation of the holder 16 therefrom by reason of the vibration of the car. In all its dimensions I would make the holder somewhat smaller than the frame,

and it is obvious that by means of the eye 15 the holder is detachably connected with the hook 14 or 14, offthe other portion of thisdevice. a g

i In Fig. 7 is shown a slight modification in the form of support for the innerendof the shelf. Herein the same tongue and U- shaped bracket 1.may be'employed, but the bracket has through it a stop rod 20 and a pivot rod 21, the latter possibly being. a

screw or a bolt. On it are pivotally mounted the inner ends of two cars 22 projecting from the inner cross bar of the shelf frame 11. The numeral 23 designates a block formed in the shape of a head and having its outer end beveled as at 24, and this block is secured to theextremity of a rod 25 which passes through a sleeve 26 carried by the shelf and has a ring or handle 27 at its inner end. A spring 28 moves this rod through the sleeve or through the sleeves if there are more than one, and nor mally projects its head so that its beveled tip will engage the rod 20 within the bracket, and the position of this rod is such that when the block engages it the shelf is held in a substantially horizontal position. When now the operator grasps the handle and draws it backward, the tip or nose of the block disengages said rod so that the block and with it the shelf may fall to an upright position as will be clear. In

all other respects the shelf may follow theconstruction elsewhere shown and described herein. On said shelf are disposed the clevice's most apt to be useful to a traveler in a sleeping car berth. The numeral designates a hat rack, 31 are spring clips suspended from certain of the cross rods 12 of the frame to hold ladies hats and other like articles, and 32 is a pressed steel safe for valuables, probably having its own key which the passenger can remove after locking, and hide somewhere about his person or within the berth. These details will be suflicient to show that the shelf may be provided with accessories on which articles may be hung, but by preference I would raise the holder 16 and lay the articles over the cross rods 12 of the shelf, and then let the holder down onto them to prevent them from slipping off. Such articles as trousers may be hung over one of the cross rods, and coats or. ladies skirts or waists may be neatly folded and laid on the shelf, and the holder upon them. I i

'The entire device is by preference made of metal, neatly finished as in nickel or the like,and the details may be left to the manu facturer. V

' It isquite possible to use this invention in other places, as for instance in berths within state rooms onboats or elsewhere, and the shelf might become a folding or wall chair, a wall table, or any equivalent article of furniture with or without the holder. Obviously the sizes of partsis immaterial, but if intended for a sleeping car berth the entire device must be sufficiently small to be easily stored away when not in use and to hang pendent from the socket S when it is attached thereto by the porter who makes up the bed. This is to enable the passenger to climb into his berth and to Genie; of this patent may be obtained for disrobe,'after which he can raise the shelf and place his clothes upon it as described.

lVhat is claimed as new is:

1. The herein described portable clothes rack for sleeping-car berths, the same comprising a shelf consisting of a rectangular frame having cross rods through it, a hook rising from its innermost cross rod, means for attachingthis end of the shelf to the partition between berths, and-fa skeleton.

holder of smaller dimension than said shelf and having an eye at its inner end adapted to detachably engage said hook, for the purpose set forth. 1 I

2. In a clothes rack of th'eclass described, the combination with a U-shaped bracket having a tongue depending from its upper end, and a socket adaptedfto be secured to the partition between berths; of a block pivotally mounted within said bracket,

means for holding the block horizontal or registering slots and provided with an indenture in their upper edge contiguous to one corner thereoffa curved depend ng extension formed on the lower outer corners rack of the character deof said side pieces, a rack, "the latter having cross-bars through it,a block secured to one end of said rack, pintles projecting from}v two facesfof said block, and intended to n: gage the slots in saidslde pleces, a cross-bar,

spaced-from the upper: surface of said block and adaptedto cooperate with saidinden-v tures andiwith said curved extension, subs stantially as' and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my hand in presence of'two' subscribing witnesses. p

FRANK w. WALLACE. lVitnesses': v

M. E. LAND, V

Norms HEADnIcK,

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iflaten'ts, Washington, I q. i 

